RF Diode probe and power meter now without simulation problems - A low cost piece of test equipment.

Update: removed 33 ohm resistor. It was an unintended F**k up on my part. @HURZ POINTS OUT THAT A SIMPLE INCLUSION OF A 50 OHM RESISTANCE AT THE SOURCE GENERATION POINT DOES AT LEAST MAKE A FUNCTIONAL SIMULATION THE FOLLOWING IS KEPT FOR HISTORICAL POSTERITY (Also, due to the EC generator having a theoretically unlimited current supply, when you close the switch, the voltage at the meter stays the same. You will see the generator current rise to accommodate the 50 ohm load. However as a power meter, this EC simulation is utterly useless! ) For the price of a couple of 1n5711 schottky diodes and two ceramic 100n capacitors, you have an invaluable piece of test equipment. Here the output is shown on the rather useless meter and on the scope above. In reality, the meter could be a normal low cost multimeter. Crocodile clip leads are soldered to the input which above is represented by the signal source. The diode probe gives a representative output that's very close in value to the radio frequency (RF) voltage you intend to measure. Note that all forms of measurement necessarily affect the thing you are measuring. This is no exception. This circuit will work from about 1 MHz to 100 MHz without affecting the measured circuit too much. Today we lament the loss of Stephen Hawking who's mind stretched our understanding of the universe. May he rest in peace. 1001001

published 8 years ago